NBC suit
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- Chemsuit redirects here. For uses of the word "chemsuit" for real protective suits, see Personal protective equipment#Complete suits.
An NBC suit is a type of personal protective equipment, very similar to a Hazmat suit (its non-military equivalent). It provides protection against direct contact with and contamination by radioactive, biological and chemical substances, though depending on the design may or may not give protection against radiation. It is generally designed to be worn over extended periods to allow the wearer to fight (or generally function) while under threat of or under actual NBC attack.
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[edit] In reality
NBC stands for nuclear, biological, chemical. It is a term used in the armed forces and in health and safety, mostly in the context of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) cleanup in overseas conflict or protection of emergency services during the response to a terrorist attack, though there are civilian and common-use applications (such as recovery and clean up efforts after industrial accidents).
In military operations, NBC suits are intended to be worn continuously for up to several days. Most are made of impermeable material such as rubber, but some incorporate a filter, allowing air, sweat and condensation to slowly pass through. An example of this is the Canadian military NBC suit.
The older Soviet suit was impermeable rubber-coated canvas. Now known as the CBRN suit, The British Armed Forces suit is reinforced nylon with charcoal impregnated felt. It is more comfortable because of the breathability but has a shorter useful life, and must be replaced often. The British Armed Forces suit is known as a "Noddy Suit" because of the pointed hood, like the hat worn by Noddy. The Soviet style suit will protect the wearer at higher concentrations than the British suit but is less comfortable due to the build-up of moisture within it. A Soviet suit was known as a Womble because of its long faced respirator with round visor glasses.
[edit] In fiction
[edit] Rogue Trooper
For the NBC suits (called 'chemsuits') much used in the Rogue Trooper stories, see:
[edit] In video games
A contemporary fictional example is shown by the 'Hazardous Environment Suit' as worn by Gordon Freeman in the Half-Life series of computer and video games. In this context, Freeman's H.E.V. suit is used as an explanation for his resistance to environmental hazards and physical damage, the suit also having some of the properties of power armour.
In "Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas 2", a character may be outfitted with different levels of exposure protection, including half-face respirators and other face masks. During the level in the sports stadium, the player and teammates are depicted wearing either a Level B or C suits. (It is unknown whether there is a SCBA unit.)
[edit] See also
- MOPP (Mission Oriented Protective Posture gear)
- Personal protective equipment
- Weapons of mass destruction (WMD, formerly NBC)
